Pictured is Homer town supervisor Fred Forbes speaking with former New York State Senator James L. Seward. Back in 2019, Seward helped secure $200,000 in grant funding for the town hall renovation project. Forbes, who's been the Homer town supervisor since 2004, is stepping down at the end of this month. (Photo provided by the New York State Senate).
Fred Forbes has been at the helm of the town of Homer for 20 years.
Now, Forbes is in his last month as town supervisor, a position he’s held since 2004. He will be replaced by Michael Park, currently a town board member.
“I realized it was my time to step back and time for somebody else to take over. I leave with no apprehensions,” Forbes said. “(As town supervisor), it’s stretched me as a person, and it’s been good for me.”
Involved in his family farm up until three years ago, Forbes took what learned from farm management and transferred it to his work as a public servant.
Forbes was a Cortland County legislator from January 1998 to June 2001. He had to step down during the summer of 2001 due to his father passing away and his mother dealing with health issues. His mother passed away in 2003, which led to his beginning as town supervisor.
“I feel that I was able to get more done and make a bigger difference,” Forbes said on the difference between his county legislator and town supervisor positions. “I’ve enjoyed it more than I did as a county legislator.”
Forbes is proud of the slew of accomplishments he had as town supervisor, including his aid in bringing the village of Homer offices to the town hall on North Main Street.
“It’s a real plus for the community,” Forbes said, noting the resources available for the community all in one building.
The town hall itself, which went through major renovations over the years, is one project that Forbes is proud that it is completed.
Forbes mentioned that the town hall originally had some areas in need of improvements, including the front porch being held with posts, plywood on the side windows, cement crumbling and more.
The town hall renovation project cost the town close to $2 million in upgrades. According to Forbes, this included fixing portions of the town hall, redos through the building, upgrading all of the windows, installing a handicap accessible area to the building and expanding the parking lot that surrounds the building. The parking lot expansion was possible after the town bought a house that was uninhabitable following a fire.
Initially reluctant to move forward with renovations to the town hall, mainly due to costs, Forbes was convinced of the benefits to the remodeling process.
“I became a believer that the board was right and this is what the community needed,” Forbes said, noting that the community appreciated the renovations.
As Forbes looks forward to his final day as town supervisor, he thinks the town will continue “to be what it’s been for a long time,” which is a “well-run community.”
“It’s the way I ran the farm when I could,” Forbes said, noting zero in the town. “It carried onto my management here, that’s for sure.”
Forbes mentioned that the town will be in good hands when Park becomes the new supervisor in January.
“I think he’ll do a great job, and I think the board will do a great job as well,” Forbes said. “I just couldn’t have had a better board to start with than I have now.”
What Forbes will miss the most is the people he’s worked with over the years.
“I enjoyed coming to the office and seeing the smiles of the clerks, the people in the building and the daily interaction I’ve had the past few years,” Forbes said. “It was just a great bunch of people to interact with.”
